Kansas Emerges as Surprise Battleground for Key Senate Race

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Anderson Cooper (0:47)

Good evening from the newsroom. We are just about two weeks away now from midterm elections. And the president is in Kansas tonight, a deep red state obviously, that he won by 16 points two years ago. A state that has not sent a Democrat to the Senate, since 1932

Interesting fact, back then, it was Republican Herbert Hoover in the White House, and he was presiding, of course, over the Great Depression. Today, the economy is the number one issue for Kansas voters. The Senate race there is tied between Republican Roger Marshall and the Democrat Adam Hamilton in a recent poll of likely voters. The president was asked about that late today as he was departing the White House for Kansas.

Chris Murphy (1:22)

Is it a bad sign for Republicans that you have to go campaign in Kansas today?

Donald Trump (1:26)

No, I tell you, I have a man named Roger, and you know him very well, Roger Marshall. He's a fantastic senator, he's one of the best. It's a close race, it shouldn't be, and as you know, I won by a tremendous amount, like 25, 30 points. I won by a lot, Kansas.

And they should be winning by a lot.

Anderson Cooper (1:47)

Why a Republican in Kansas is not leading by a lot in the polls might have more to do with the president than the candidate himself. Were Marshall to lose, it would end the longest streak of a single party control of both Senate seats from a state in American history. For the president, new polling about the economy is not likely to buoy expectations for election day.

75% of likely voters view the economy as not so good or poor.

70% disapprove of President Trump's handling of the economy. Tonight's rally in Kansas marks the beginning of the president barnstorming the country in the sprint to election day. Seven states in seven days, that's the plan. Tomorrow, North Carolina, followed by South Carolina, Iowa, Florida, Georgia, and finally Michigan. The president making his closing argument in the hopes of keeping the Senate obviously in Republican control. Just before air, we learned he's also heading back to Texas next week to stump for Senate candidate Ken Paxton. As seen as Betsy Klein is in Park City, Kansas tonight with the president. So for all the talk about how the polls may or may not be accurate this cycle, would the president be going to Kansas if the White House wasn't concerned that the GOP Senate seat there is at risk?

Betsy Klein (2:53)

Well, Anderson, I think that's exactly the point. There is certainly some concern because President Trump is spending his time here just 15 days away from election day. Making that push for Senator Roger Marshall, the Republican, who is locked in what the president has conceded is a very tight race against the Democrat candidate, Adam Hamilton, who is a megachurch pastor. President Trump arrived about an hour late and has just started speaking, but he's already locked in making that case for Marshall, and he says is, quote, one of the best. And he is now talking over some protesters that have briefly interrupted his remarks. But the president has been framing Adam Hamilton, that Democrat, as a radical left liberal. Hamilton, meanwhile, we are seeing in those very tight polls, has been able to peel off some Republican voters. But the president's appearance here really underscores how Republicans are now on the defense. And we are seeing these GOP aligned groups pour millions of dollars into bolstering Roger Marshall in his race here. President Trump's strategy right now is to drive turnout among his MAGA base. They're not necessarily looking to find new voters or persuade independents. They are looking to turn out the voters they've got. And I've actually talked to a number of undecided voters, both here at this rally, actually, as well as in the greater Wichita area. And it all comes down to this economic anxiety. They are feeling the pinch of gas prices, the price of high diesel as well as the president's tariff policies. I specifically spoke to a young woman named Haley Brozek. She was here from the Wichita suburbs, visiting with her young son for their first rally. And I asked her why she was undecided and what she was thinking about. She said 100% lowering the prices on everything is what's going to get her vote. She said everything is so expensive, gas, groceries. And she said that she wanted to hear Marshall explain, quote, how things are going to improve. We heard from Marshall briefly. He said that Republican vote means secure borders, strong military and lower taxes.